Valve manifold



.Ahprl 3, 1928.

` A. M. THoMsoN VALYE IANIFOLD Filed 0ct.'21.

' ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. V3, 1928.

UNITED As'ra'riis PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED nl THOMSON, or NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, assIeNoa '.ro JOSEPH nEncADA'N'rE,

or NEw Yoan, N. ir.

VVALVE MANIFOLD.

Application led October '21, 1926. Serial Io. 143,889.

This .invention relates to valve manifolds, and more particularly cncerns a valve manifold for use in connection withl refrigeration systems.

In one general type of mode-rn refrigeration systems, it is the practice to subject a suitable refrigerant to a continuous cycle of operations, the refrigerant being successively compressed, liquefied by cooling in a condenser, passed through a suitable expansion valve into a lieat absorbing unit where it is gasifed and returned again to be compressed. The pump or compressor used for compressing vthe gasified refrigerant is usually of the type in which a suitable fluid such as oil-is used to maintain. the various joints between the moved parts thereof effectively sealed. l

In theoperation of a system of this kind,

it is necessary at times to charge the system with the required quantit of refrigerant, to add a small amount of re ri eant-to the system to take the place of t at lost through leakage, and to withdraw the refrigerant from the system when not in use. It is also' necessary to add a. small quantity ofsealing fluid to the system to seal the variousjoints and connections thereof, particularly those between the moving elements of the comressor.

With the above and other considerations in mind, it is proposed in accordance with the present invention to provide. a valve manifold for use in connection with refrigeration systems for permitting the refrigerant to be introduced into and drawn off from `a refrigerating system, as well as to permit the introduction of a sealing fluid into the system.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a manifold of this type which is. compact, ru ged and 'easily operated, and which is capa le of performing the operations stated with substantially no loss of the liquids or gases handled. i

, It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a manifold of this type which may be used to relieve the load normally carried by the compressor by means of by-passing a portion of the compressed refrigerant through this manifold and returning it to the compressor.

It is a still further object ofthe present acter described which is simple in construc- I tion and which can be readily and inexpensively manufactured without the use of complicated special machinery.

.Other ob'ects, advantages and istic features of the present invention will become apparent as the description thereofv progresses.

In describing the invention in detail, references will be made to the accompanying drawing, in which;

Figure 1 is a plan view of the valve manifold of the. present invention;

Figure 2 1s asectional view taken along the line 2 2 of Figure 1, and viewed in the direction of the arrows; and' Figure 3 is a sectional view takeny along the line 3--3 of Figure 1 and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

i The manifold of the resent invention comprises, in general, a pair of parallel horizontal tubes or passages connected by a cross passageway, thevarious passages being provided with suitably arranged valves to concharacter-I,

trol the flow of the refrigerant through the I tubes and to controlthe communication between the cross passage and the tubes.

Referring to the drawin two horizontal tubes, 1 and 2, are rovide,s being connected by .a vweb' integra ly formed therewith and having an enlarged portion 4 therein which is drilled out to'form a cross assage 5 as shown in Figure 3. The web 3 1s preferab providedA with a suitable opening 6 to facilitate the attachment of the manifold to a suitable base or support on the refrigerating machine in'connection with which it is to be used. The tubes 1 and 2 are suitably thread- :elements of the various valves. As s own in ico Figure 2, each of the passages in the tubep valves is greatly pro 1 and 2 has a horizontal portion 7 communieating with two short vertical passages 8 and 9. The upper end of each of the passages 8 and 9 opens into an enlar ed valve chamber 10, the chamber of eac of the valves A and B communicating through an angular passage 11 with a second horlzontal passage 12, while the chamber of each of the valves C and D communicates with the cross passage 5.

The valve mechanism proper may take any suitable form, but in the embodiment shown herein comprises asleeve member 13 screw threadedly secured to the upper end of the walls 14 of the Valve chamber 10 as shown, and carrying the valve stem 1'5. The valve Stem 15 has a screw threaded engagement at 16 with the inner bore of the sleeve 13 and a suitable packing substance 17, such as oiled wicking, is compressed between the upper portion of the stem 15 and t/he enlarged bore of the upper portion of the sleeve 13 by means of the packing nut 18. The upper end of the valve stem 15 is preferably slotted or otherwise formed for the reception of a tool for operating the valve, and the upper Vend of the sleeve 13 isA preferably closed by a plug 19, screw-threadedly en aging this sleeve, a washer 20 bein prefera ly provided to insure a gas t1ght]oint.

Integral with or suitably securedl to the lower end of the valve stem 15 is a tapered plug 21. This plug is adapted, when the valve is closed and the stem 15 is in its lowered position, to engage and tightly close the uplper end of the vertical passage 9, and

w en the valveY stem 15 is in its open or upper position, as shown, to engage and t1 tly close the opening at the lower end o the sleeve 13. The valves A and B are normally maintained in their open positions as shown, and when in this position the engagement of the plug 21 with the lower end of the sleeve A13 prevents the entrance of the refri erantint-o the inner bore of'this sleeve and t ereby avoids the corrosion of the moving parts and theipacking 'of the valve by the refrigerant. The valves C and vD are normally in their closed positions, and when closed the refrigerant does not enter theV yalve chamber 10 andhence does not come Into contact with the .valve packing or the movable parts of the mechanism. It will be seen that the construction of these valves is.

such that the operating mechanism and packing thereof is exposed to the refri rant only while the valves are being movedefrom one position to another, and because of this con-l struction and arrangement, the life of the onged.A

he cross passage 5 comprises a plurality of angularly disposed passages which are formed by drilling away the metal of the enlarged portion 4 of theweb 3 by' means of drills inserted l'through the openings in the upper ends of the valve chambers 10. In a like manner, the angular passages 11 in the valves A and B are formed by rmeans of drills inserted through the valve chambers 10 of these valves. In this manner, the varions passages through the manifold may be readily and quickly formed with the use of ordinary drilling` apparatus and. it is therefore unnecessary to use complicated casting operations in tbe manufact-ure of the valve manifold.

As shown in Figure 3, the cross passage 5 communicates with the valve chambers 10 ofthe valves C and D and also communicates with a feed pi )e 22 provided with a cap 23 threaded to tlie outer end thereof. 'The Vfeed pipe 22 preferably extends outwardly from the body of the manifold and is provided vvith a screw threaded outer end, adapted for suitable connection to a pipe through which the refrigerant or the sea ing fluid may be introduced into or withdrawn from the system.

ln the application of the valve manifold of the present invention to a refrigerating system, the passages through the tubes 1 and 2 maybe connected to be `included in the line of flow of the refrigerant at any suitable point where it may be desired to introduce or withdraw the refrigerant or the sealing lluid to or from the system. For the purpose of illustration, `it will be assumed that the passage through the tube 2 is connected in the gas line, that is, the pipe leading the refrigerant in gaseous form from the heat absorbing unit to the intake port of the compressor, while the passage through the tube 1 is connected in communication 4with the liquid line, that is, the pipe conducting the refrigerant in liquid form from the outlet ofthe condensor to the expansion valve. The flow of liquid and gas through the passages in the tubes 1 and 2 is preferably in the direction indicated by the arrows in Figure 1. To obtain this direction of ilow the right hand end of the tube 1, as viewed in Figure 1, is connected with the exhaust end of the condenser and the left hand end thereof is connected with the expansion valve, while the right hand end of thetube 2 is connected to the intake of the compressor and the left hand end thereof is connected to the exhaust end of the heat absorbing unit. i

In the operation of the valve manifold of the present invention, the ,Valves A and B are normally open, while the valves C and D are normally in their closed positions. When it is desired to introduced a quantity of the refrigerant into the system, a pipe leading to a tank or other container filled with the refrigerant is connected to the feed pipe 22 of the manifold. The valve B is then closed and the valve D gradually opened, thus permitting the flow of the refrigerant into the gas lline of the'system. The refrigerant is usually carried in drums in which it is compressed in liquid form, and it therefore flows into the system under pressure, expanding through the valve D and becoming gasiied. From the tube l,2, the refrigerant is drawn in gaseous form through the compressor and is pumped through the entire system. When the required amount of refrigerant has been drawn into the system, the valve D is closed, the valve B opened and the drum or other supply is disconnected from the feedA pipe 22, the cap 23 being replaced thereon. The sealing fluid may be introduced through the feed pipe 22 and passage in the tube 2 in the saine manner as that described in connection with the introduction of the refrigerant.

When it is desired to withdraw the re-l frigerant from the system, the cap 23 is removed froin the pipe 22 and a suitable discharge pipe is connected thereto. The valve A is now closed and the valve C opened, and

the refrigerant, which at this point in the system 'is inliquid forni and under high pressure, passes out through the cross passage 5 and is discharged into a suitable container. The compressor may be operated to completely exhaust the refrigerant from the system, if desired. The valve C is then closed, and the discharge pipe may be removed from the pipe 22.

' It is often found in starting a new refrigerating lsystem for the first time, that the compressor and the motor or other prime mover for operating the same are consi-derably over-loaded, diie, probably, to the tight fit of the bearings and other moving parts thereof. In this case, it is desirable to relieve the load on the compressor for a short time in order to enable thecompressoi" and motor to operate at a reasonable speed until the bearings .thereof are properly run'in. By the use of the manifold of the present invention, the load on the compressor may be verv easily relieved by slightly opening both of the valves C and D, and thus permittinga small amount of the compressed and liquefied refrigerant to expand through the cross passage 5 into the gas line, thus in effect, shunting or -by-passi'ng the refrigerant through the compressor and thereby greatly decreasing the load thereon.

The valve manifold of the present invention presents many advantageous features of construction and operation. The manifold is very compact and hence occupies little space in the system, which feature is extremely desirable in the domestic refrigeration systems now in use. Due to its novel construction, the manifold of-,the'present inveiition may be connected in the'pipe linel of a refrigerating l system without materially complicating the arrangement thereof, all of the pipe connections to the manifold-being in the same plane. Also, the valves Aof the manifold are enclosed under the plugs 19 and hence are not likely to be carelessly operated byunauthorized ersons.

Although the manifol of the present invention has been described in a rather spe cific manner and in connection with one spcan enlarged portion in said web having a cross passage there'fn communicating with the assages 1n said tubes, valves for controlling the passages through said tubes y and valves for controlling the communication between said tubes and said cross passage.

' said 2. In a valve manifold, a pair of parallel tubes having passages therethrough, an integral web connecting said tubes and having an opening therein to permit-the manifold to be secured to a support, an enlarged portion in said web havin a cross passage therethrough communicating with said passages in said tubes',` a feed pipe communieating with said cross passage and extending outwardly from said manifold, valves for controlling the passages through said tubes, and further valves for controlling the communication between said cross passage and the passages in each of said tubes.

3. In a valve manifold, a air of separate parallel passages connected y a cross passage, valves in each of said passages for controlling fluid ow therethrough, valves for controlling the communication between each of said parallel assages and said cross passage and a feed) pipe communicating with said cross passage.

4. In a valve manifold, a pair of tubular members having independentA passages extending froni end to -end thereof, the opposite endsof each of `said passages lying in the same plane, across passage connecting arallel passages, valves for controlling uid flow through said parallel passages, and valves for controllin the communication between each of said parallel passages and said cross passage.

5. YIn a valve manifold, .a pair of parallel passa es, a cross passage communicatin with oth of said parallel passages, a feed pipe conununicating with said cross passage, valves for controlling the flow `of fluid through said parallel passa es and valves for controlling the communication between said cross passa e and each of said parallel passages, where y said feed pipe mayrbe connected with either of said parallel passages, said parallel passages may be connected in communication through said cross passage and the flow of fluid through said parallel passages may becontrolled.

6. In a valve manifold, a pair of tubular members having parallel passages therein, an enlarged web connectingsaid members, a valve chamber having an open upper end integral with each of said members and communicating with the passages therein, and a.

valve chambers on said members communieating with the passages therein and having openings intheir .upper ends, a cross passage connecting said valve chambers comprising two angularly dispo'zed straight passagescommunicating in said web, the axes of said passages extending through the open.- ings in the upper ends of said Valve chambers, and valve mechanism adapted to engage the openings in said valve chambers and acting to control the communication between said chambers and said parallel passages iu said tubular members.

8. Ina valve manifold, a pair of tubular members connected by an integral web, parallel passages in said n'iembers, Valve chambers on said members communicating with the passages therein and having open ings in their upper ends, a cross passage 40 connecting said valve 'chambers comprising two angularly disposed straight passages communicating in said web, the axes of said passages extending through the openings in the upper ends of said valve chambers, valve mechanisms engaging the openings in the upper ends of said valve chambers and acting to control the communicationbetween said chambersand said parallel passages,-f

and valves for controlling ilu-id flow through said parallel passages.`

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ALFRED M. THOMSON. 

